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Another mass killing with ordnance that can only be classified as “murder weapons.” The sound of silence from our representatives is deafening. The National Rifle Association has succeeded in painting a yellow streak down the backs of our legislators and 2012 candidates.

Our Founding Fathers who wrote the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution are screaming from their graves “we didn’t know weapons would advance to such a lethal degree and radicals and insanity would take over.” Had they been able to conceive of such destruction they would have added a few caveats and clarification to the 2nd Amendment.

Guns were necessary in 1789 as citizen soldiers had just won their freedom from England. These inaccurate mussel loading guns and rifles took forever to reload and when fired were lucky to hit the broad side of a barn. (The movie “The Patriot” demonstrates an example.) There were no automatic or semi-automatic guns or rifles. Our Founders could not have conceived of a mass murder weapon like the once banned AR 15 rifle used in the Aurora theater shooting. In 2004 the 10-year ban on assault weapons was allowed to lapse because Democrats feared losing elections.

A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.

The poorly constructed sentence is all the excuse those who profit off of the sale of “murder weapons” need to pillage the populace with the “right to bear Arms.” In the 18th century with little organized militia and police there was justification for everyone to arm themselves. Just as Constitutional Amendments that were added to abolish slavery and gave women the right to vote and eliminated the poll tax show the evolution of U.S. society so is an Amendment needed to clarify the 2nd Amendment.

When guns outnumber people in the United States, criminals can overpower the militia with high caliber weapons and gun violence increases it is time for a change to the 2nd Amendment. “The people as part of a well regulated Militia shall have the right to keep and bear Arms to insure the security of a free State and its citizenry.”

The 2nd Amendment is outdated in a country that has evolved into a dense populace where guns are available for the asking.

Is it too late to turn back now …

We didn’t get to this sorry state overnight and you can’t just ban guns one day and expect everyone will throw them away or turn them into a central smelter. There are steps to take. Require every gun owner to register their weapon the same way you register your automobile. There will be an administrative fee to keep up the database and a waiting period. The owner would violate the law if they possessed a gun with no registration just like a car. The owner could sell their gun anytime but would have to notify the administrator of the change in ownership the same as a car.

The illegal guns would slowly diminish and the right of the people to bear Arms would not be infringed. The database could be used to catch gun thieves and it would set off alarms for excessive gun and ammunition purchases that law enforcement could investigate.

People need to protect themselves there is no doubt and legal possession of a gun should never be a crime for a law abiding citizen. No law abiding citizen would mind registering a gun for protection. The criminal however would mind and would be likely to possess an unregistered gun. In time the criminal will be “relieved” of their gun and find it harder to get one. While the law abiding citizen will be sleeping well at night in legal possession of protection. Hunters need not fear of losing their guns either under this scenario.

Those who say people will find a way to harm other people like with a knife I am wondering how many people would be stabbed instead of shot in a mass murder assault. Innocent victims at the wrong place at the wrong time will continue to suffer the consequences of unregulated gun ownership.

Whatever the solution it will take fed up citizens who have lost loved ones to violence to push government to act. Sadly there will be more innocent victims of senseless killings before that happens. Keep lining the pockets of gun makers and their lobby. The 2nd Amendment is serving them well.

Comments (20)

Bubba Greene

July 30th, 2012 at 8:54 AM

So many bad ideas in such a short space and not one would prove to be effective. The real problem is one which exists in the mentality of society. Violence, hate, fact and fantsay. The relatively recent string of random shootings have been done by “young people” who grew up and live in a world of game vids and movie fiction. (Not to mention a lack of a personal social value system.) And it’s all going to get worse. Try your hand a a solution like ending drunk driving. Figure that one out and then address “guns”. It should be a lot easier as there is no “right to get stinkin’ drunk and get behind the wheel” noted in the Constitution.
BTW, “We did not know” our elected officials would seek a career in politics or else we would have included term limits. And another thing. The most oppressive societies in the history of man past and present, have all had a ban of one kind or another on “weapons” (guns). Do you really want to go there? Not me!

Val

July 30th, 2012 at 2:05 PM

Well Bubba this is the USA and we are better then those “oppressive” societies and has nothing to do with gun ownership. The USA will always be better.

What is your solution Bubba? Throw something out there. What’s wrong with treating guns like car ownership that will keep the right to bear arms intact while making it harder for the idiots to get them or keep them. It’s only a part of a solution. None will be perfect but if we don’t try something it will only get worse.

Brian Anse Patrick

August 1st, 2012 at 3:13 AM

Do your “mussel loading guns and rifles” shoot seafood? You should be embarrassed. Unfortunately the level of knowledge demonstrated by this editorial suggests a systematically misinformed and superficial mind in a snit of vacuous outrage. One seldom sees so many entertainment media derived stereotypes packed into one bag. I suggest you learn something about the gun rights movement and the millions of people who constitute it before you resume blathering about an imagined “gun lobby.”

Bubba Greene

August 1st, 2012 at 6:56 PM

Val: Had a great but rather lengthy reply but accidentally lost it trying to post a link which proved to be “copyrighted”. I’ll not totally say the author of this item is 100% correct but he is much closer to understanding the problem and the solution than the anti gun gang. Do a google search for “Columbine Father Speaks to Congress”. Read it carefully. You will find some of the text in various “snoops” web sites but when you read through them they will confirm that the comments are actually correct…it is no myth. This is what the father has to say.
Now, I might add that the bomb that exploded in Blacksburg last night (?) is just an example that people will resort to whatever method they can when they are bent upon an evil deed. Seems odd to me that the news tonight reports this event as a “random criminal act”. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed but it’s only a matter of time until the social misfits come to realize that bombs are more dramatic, may kill/injure more people and draw more attention than guns. Least we forget OK City. The only thing I really fear is that society cannot protect itself FROM itself. Of course, those of you on the left have this compulsion to “do something”. I think the first step to a solution might be for you and your left wingers to step away from your efforts to “fix it”. There ARE some things which make some degree of common sence but we pro gun people are not going to give an inch because we know you eat away at the matter like cancer. Give an inch and you take more and more. I once did not object to some controls and increases in regulations. I did not oppose the Clinton AR ban. But you people just keep pounding and pounding even when it’s obvious you have no idea what the solution might be….”just do something”.
You push, we resist.

Val

August 2nd, 2012 at 1:07 AM

Bubba,

So you have all the guns you want but the twisted still use bombs instead of guns.

Lets have guns and bombs – now that’s the solution. Your thought process is that if you take away the guns the twisted will make bombs instead.

Don’t try to limit anything because there will just be another way to kill. That’s your plan for America?

You just don’t walk into a “bomb store” and buy a bomb Bubba. You can walk into a gun shop and buy a gun and you are against registering a gun. Not taking away your gun just registering it like a car. Why do you fear that?

Bubba Greene

August 2nd, 2012 at 8:03 AM

Totally irrational subjective thinking, Val. Apparently you never bothered to look for and read the fathers comments. That’s the problem to solve. But like so many libs you apparently are not able to think for yourself but very able to pick up a banner idea tossed out by your lib heros and run with it. This dialogue looks to go no where but I’ll address two points. YES, eliminate guns and the twisted will find another vehicle to kill. Secondly, give me just one example, specifically, of what good registering a gun will accomplish. I’ll not count these two:
1. Employ thousands in govt admin jobs.
2. Generate revenue through the fees involved.
BTW, I “fear” the registration process because it is another step in your plan to eliminate firearms. Your comment tends to support my prior claim that give you people an inch, you take a mile. I don’t really “fear” the point you begin but rather the place you are going.

Val

August 2nd, 2012 at 7:36 PM

There are big benefits to registration of firearms and any fee would be to cover the cost. Heck make the DMV do it or there is already a concealed weapon database.

Registration will ensure WHO the legitimate owner of a gun is if it is stolen.

It will keep track of sales by individuals requiring a change in ownership be registered just like a car.

If law enforcement in the performance of their duties confronts someone in possession of a firearm they will ask for the registration. If they can’t produce it then the weapon is illegal and the weapon would be confiscated.

It would as alert law enforcement when someone is buying say 100 guns from different sources and 6000 rounds of ammunition.

These benefits are just for starters ..

Bubba Greene

August 2nd, 2012 at 9:07 PM

Guess I expected as much. NOTHING you say lends to one ounce of “crime prevention” and is that not what it’s all about…crime prevention? Of course not! Or is it all about “being confiscated”. Your out of our league sweetie. Better check back with the libs and take on an easier issue. And oh BTW, are you proposing to register the purchase of ammunition as well? Need not respond. I held out some remote hope you were a well informed, educated but just misguided lib. Seems I was correct on only one account. The good news is you have awakened in me the need to stock up on 9mm. And I thibnk I’ll go out tomorrow and look for that Kimber Solo. Neat little lady pistol for a neat little lady.

Bubba Greene

August 4th, 2012 at 5:50 PM

Ya know, I had no intention of checking back in on this topic but just could not resist. As I said earlier, give and inch take a mile and your response above proves it. You start out with a single practice….”registration of firearms” and in the same breath you move to confiscation as well as an implied process to track ammunition purchases. I’ll probably post a few more tid bits on this scheme just for your enlightenment. I somehow feel compelled to try to make just one lib see the light. It’s a personal thing with me and you’re my lib, Val. Think I’ll be successful?

Bubba Greene

August 4th, 2012 at 6:26 PM

Gee Val, seems like all the links I try to post come back with a banner giving indication of being copyrighted. Is that something you impose on the blog. I seem to be able to cut and paste the links in emails without a problem. SO, look for and read an article by David Babat, “The Discriminatory History of Gun Control”. It’s on “DigitalCommons” at the University of Rhode Island. Read it and I’ll give you a test and if you pass, I’ll spring for lunch.

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